Vending-machine for articles of food and the like.



S. WIADSEN.-

VEND'ING MACHINE FOR ARTICLES OF FOOD AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.2B, 19%5.

- Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

- 4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

MINI

I S. MADSEN.

VENDING MACl-IINE FOR ARTICLES OF FOOD AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 28, I9I5-- Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mgwmo I I I @51 attozwnz I ,I

S. IVIADSEN.

VENDING MACHINE FOR ARTICLES OF FOOD AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION man SEPT.28, 1915. L mfimo Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

4 susms-suszr a 4 awuemoz 3 3 1 attowucc I s. MADSEN. VENDING MACHWNE FOR ARTICLES OF FOOD AND THE LIKE.

7 APPLICATION FILED SEPT-28,1915. LQQQEILQQ 4 Patented Apr. 10,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

sonnn' mansnn', or new roan, N. v.

VENDING-MACHINE FOR ARTICLES OF F0013 AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. full, @315.

Application filed September 28, 1915. Serial No. 52,986.

'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Serum MADSEN, a subject of the King of Denmark, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending-Machines for Articles of Food and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in vending machines for articles of food and the like.

By the use of my invention, I provide a vending machine embodying a frame or casing having one or more food containers, preferably stationary, each container being provided with a front door and a rear door, latching mechanism for releasably latching said front door, coin controlled means for releasing said latching means and means actuated by the opening movement of the rear door for relatching the front door.

Another feature of my invention is the.

provision of a coin-releasing lever-so positioned in relation to the rear door, and preferablyblocking the path of movement thereof, as to indicate to the operator whether or not the front door has been opened through the medium of the coin controlling device.

Another feature of my invention is the provision in combination with a coin-controlled lock or latch-releasing device of a simple and efiicient fraud-detecting coindevice, having a coin gage to permit the travel of a perfect coin therethrough and to cause a stoppage therein of imperfect or 4 counterfeit coins and also provided with means for releasing and returning imperfeet coins, and means operable only in the absence of a perfect coin or coins in said latch-releasing device for actuating said fraud-detecting device to return the coin.

Another feature of my invention comprises a latch-releasing coin device, embodying a vertically-disposed coin-guide having a coin slot forthe passage of a coin edgewise therethrough, a laterally-movable carrier or slide movable across the said slot of the coin guide to engage and move a coin edgewise and means actuated by said slide to release or open the latching means of a suitable door and means for returning a coin when the same does not reach its proper position in relation to said slide.

Another feature of my invention is the provision in a machine of the character above described of a coin receiver and means for adapting said receiver to contain a plurallty of coins in combination with a check chute, a check reservoir located adjacent to said chute and provided with a plurality of superimposed checks, a transverse slot in said reservoir and a slide piece adapted to move through said slot to check from the reservoir. Another feature of my invention consists in the provision in a coin receiver of an ad justable coin limiting device whereby one or more coins may be received to permit actuation of the locking device, means for releasing the actuating or keying coin and means for stopping said keying coin in its passage through the coin slot to cause the same to act as a bufier for the succeeding com.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a container and actuating parts, the actuating mechanism being shown in section 22 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the food container, combined coin receiving and actuating lock and also fraud detecting coin device;

FFig. 4: is a section on the line H: of

Fig; 5 is a section throu h the food container on the line 5-5 of ig. l;

Fig. 6 is a detail of the coin receiving and releasing device;

Fig. 7 is a section through the coin receiver on the line 77 of Fi 3, showing the latch releasing position of the parts in dotted lines;

Fig. 8 is a section through the fraud de-' tecting device on the line 88 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a section through said fraud detecting coin device on the line 99 of Fig. 3; Fig. 10 is a view from'beneath of a fraud detecting coin device illustrated in Figs. 3, 8 and 9;

till

deliver a single till Fig. 11 is a detail view of a check and delivery chute and reservoir employed in combination'with my coin receiver; and

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the device illustrated in Fig. 11.

Referring now to these drawings 1 indicates a series of vertically-disposed and spaced angle irons which preferably form the frame work for alternate panels 1 and 1 the panels 1 being set at the outer edge of angle irons 1 and the panels 1*- being disposed along the inner legs which form a depressed seat therefor so as to provide a de-.

pressed or offset alternate panel.

A base rail 1 is also preferably connected at the lower end of the machine and is provided with a. series of cups 5. The depressed panels 1 are preferably provided with coin slots 2 and actuating handles 3 and the offset panels are provided with doors 7 hinged at their upper edges to panels 1*, and provided with pull knobs 8.

The said doors 7 communicate with compartment 9 of a stationary food container 10 which is provided with a rear door 11 also hinged at its upper end. The said door is, as shown, provided with an angular pull bar 12 having one of its arms secured to" said door, having its other arm extending parallel to and adjacent to one side wall of the container 10 and pivoted to a connecting rod 13 having a slot 13 within which slot is slidably pivoted a stud 14: fixed adjacent to one end of the 'rod 1% and has its opposite end pivoted or otherwise connected with the front door 7. Said stud 14* also extends through a slot 10 in the side wall of the container.

Obviously when the rear door is closed the front door, when unlatched by suitable coin controlled mechanism, will as hereinafter specified be swung upwardly on its hinges, whereupon the stud 14 will move in the slot 10*. When the door is let go itwill, of course, fall by gravity into its substantially closed or unlatched position.

Suitable means is preferably provided for indicating to the operator that the compartment has been emptied and the operator then in swinging the rear door upwardly on its hinges for the purpose of permitting the insertion of an article of food will, through the arm 12 of the angle bar 12 cause a pull to be exerted upon the slotted connecting rod 13 and the slot will permit the free movement of said rod until the said door approaches its nearly open position. As it approaches such position the end of the slotted arm will have traveled along the stud to the end of the slot and will thereupon exert a pull upon the guided stud 14 which transmits said pull to the door and causes it to be closed and latched.

My preferred latching mechanism for the provided with apertures 20 which register with the apertures 18 and permit thedoor to be latched when moved into closed position. In order to permit the simultaneous actuation into unlatched position of both bolts, the said bolts are preferably connected togetherat their lower ends by means of a connecting rod 21 which is provided intermediate the said bolts with a stud 22 which cooperates with'a slot 23 in a lever 24: pivoted at 25 to the inner side of the panel 1*, and having an engaging lip 24- at its opposite end. Obviously, when the lip 24 is engaged and the lever depressed it will through its slotted connection with the stud 22 cause the bolts to be simultaneously withdrawn from the apertures 20 in the bottom rail of the front door so as to permit the opening thereof.

Suitable coin controlled means for releasing the bolts 15 and retaining the same in released position is provided and in the preferred form shown in the accompanying drawings, I preferably mount, contiguousto the said lever 24, a shaft 25 on which is fixed an oscillating arm26 which when the shaft 25 is rotated engages a lip 2 to depress the lever. Said shaft may be rotated from the outside by a user of the machine through the medium of a coin actuated slide which abuts against and is adapted to move another arm 27 fixed upon said shaft 25. Said shaft is also preferably provided with a crank handle 28 fixed to said shaft by which it may be rotated from the rear of the machine and this handle is preferably so disposed in relation to the edge 10 of the rear door that when it is thrown over through the actuation of the shaft by the coin controlled slide, it will indicate to the operator that the bolts have been withdrawn and the compartment therefore emptied. In order to retain the crank shaft to hold the bolts in released position and to indicate that the compartment is empty, as well as to compel the operator before replenishing the compartment,'to release the actuating coin from the position to which it has been moved by the customer, I provide a flat spring 29 having a dip 29' which when the arm 27 is moved by the coin controlled mechanism into a position which causes the bolts to be withdrawn and the front door to be unlatched, will engage the end of said arm and yieldearers ingly retain the same in said position. When the arm is so retained in said position the crank shaft will, as aforesaid, indicate to the operator that the compartment is empty and owing to the fact that the said handle is placed just behind said door so that it would be impossible to open the door without moving the same an operator will of necessity before opening the door to replenish the compartment be compelled to release the bolts and again place the bolts in latching position so that upon the. opening of said rear door the front door may be latched as above described.

My preferred coin controlled lock for actuating the shaft to release the latch bolts preferably comprises a tubular vertically disposed coin guide mounted upon suitable brackets 34 and consisting of a member 30 having a groove or slot 31 and a cover plate 32 having a window 33. Mounted at the upper end of said coin guide, I provide a slide 35 mounted in ways 37 and adapted to move'transversely across said slot 31 of the coin guide. Said slide preferably carries at its upper end a coin chute 36 and is provided with a coin slot 35 which normally registers with the slot 31 of the coin guide, and a depending adjustment bar 37 provided with screw apertures 38, to any one of which apertures is adapted to be secured an adjustable stop 39 which has a projection 39 which will, when the slide is in its normal coin receiving position, extend through notches 40 into the slot 31 to obstruct the passage of a coin therethrough at any suitable point.- Said stop may, of course, be positioned to obstruct the slot when it has one or a plurality of coins mounted edgewise upon each other therein.

Said slide also carries a latch-actuating arm 41 and preferably is provided with an arc-shaped slot intersecting the coin slot 31 of the coin guide in which slot 42 is adapted to move a projection 43 carried by an arm 44 which is oscillated by a shaft 45 mounted in bearings 46 and extending through the front wall of the machine where it is provided with an operating handle 3. When one or any other number of coins determined by the position of the stop 39 are inserted in the chute 36 of the slide, such coins will be disposed edgewise, and one of such coins will be disposed adjacent to or in alinement with the arc-shaped intersecting slot 42 and when the handle 3 is turned by the operator, the projection 43 enters the slot and engages one edge of the coin and forces the keying coin and with it the slide to be moved laterally or transversely of the guide slot 31. When such movement occurs the arm or projection 1']. will engage the arm 27 to rotate the lever 25 and unlock the door and simultaneously therewith the depending bar carrying the adjustable stop 39 will be wit drawn and the coin or coins retained in the guide slot will be released.

The compartment may now be emptied by the customer from the outside and the latches will hy the .action'of the spring 29 be retained in. unlatched position. Furthermore, the crank handle 28 will be moved into the opening path. of the rear replenishing door l1-so as first to indicate that the compartment has been emptied and second to compel a movement of said lever before replenishing. To replenish the compartment the operator manually moves the crank handie 28 to the left and out of the opening path of the door whereupon the arm or pawl 27 will be released from the action of the spring 29, and will press back the slide pro jection 41 so that the slots 35 and 31 of the slide and guide respectively will register and the keying coin will be simultaneously released.

In the preferred embodiment of my' machine illustrated, i also preferably employ in connection with my coin controlled lock or latch releasing mechanism means for delivering a check when a customer desires pre pared to order dishes. To this end a vertically disposed reservoir d7 is disposed adjacent to said slide and arranged adjacent to said reservoir is a check delivery chute 4-8 communicating to the reservoir and a cup 5 at the front of the machine, the reservoir and check delivery chute preferably intersecting each other at 47* and so disposed that a check may be slid from the reservoir into the chute. This is accomplished by providing upon the slide 35 an angular arm 4:9 which enters a slot 50 in the lower edge of the res ervoir when the slide is moved laterally after the deposit of a predetermined number of coins as above described. The end of the angular arm will engage the edge of a check and push it laterally into the reservoir and at the same time will block the downward movement of the check superimposed thereupon. When the slide 35 is moved in the opposite direction the arm will be moved out of the slot and the superimposed checks will fall by gravity so as to place another check in alinement with said slot so as to be engaged by said arm. in all other respects the slide and coin guide are as above described.

In the preferred form of fraud detecting device, ll preferably provide a base plate 51 to the longitudinal edge of which is secured in any suitable manner a guide strip 52 having a notch 53. This guide strip 52in cooperation with a movable guide strip 54 disposed along the opposite edge of the base plate 51 provides a slot 55 of proper Width to permit a perfect nickel or other coin to slide along the same and to effectively gage the width thereof. if, however, a defective lid llli

coin is inserted within said slot it will be stopped in its movement therethrough and cannot therefore reach the coin chute of the lock releasing mechanism. When such a defective coin is so stopped in its movement through the slot 55 I preferably provide means actuated by the operating handle for returning the defective coin to the-customer at the front of the machine and for this purpose I provide a lever 56 which engages the movable strip 54 and is adapted to press same outwardly against the tension of springs 57 which are mounted on yokes 58 mounted upon the base plate, one end of said spring abutting against the yoke and the opposite end abutting against the movable guide strip 54. W hen the shaft 45 is turned by the handle 3, the projection 43 of the arm 44 will move through said slot and an arm 58 also mounted upon said operating shaft 45 will come in contact with the lever 56 and move it laterally to release the stopped, defective coin which will thereupon fall by gravity into the chute 59 which communicates with a cup 5 in front of the machine.

Having described my invention I claim 1. A vending machine embodying a container, a front door for said container hinged to swing outwardly, a rear door for said container hinged to swing in a direction opposite to the front door, means for releasably latching said front door, means for releasing said latching means, an arm attached to the front door, another arm attached to the rear door and a traveling connection between said arms arranged to permit independent movement of said doors during the major portion of the cycles of movement thereof and a common movement during a minor portion of such cycle of movement.

2. A vending machine embodying a container, a front door for said container hinged to swing outwardly, a rear door for said container hinged to swing in a direction opposite to the front door, means for releasably latching said front door, means for releasing said latching means, an arm connected to the front door, another arm connected to the rear door and a slot and pin connection between said arms arranged to permit independent movement of said front and rear doors during the major portion of the opening and closing movements thereof and a common movement of the front door during a minor portion of the closing movement of the same. V

3. A vending machine embodying a container, a front door for said container hinged to swing outwardly, a rear door for said container hinged to swing in a direction opposite to the front door, means for releasably latching said front door, means for releasing said latching means, a guide slot in one side of the container, a pin mounted in said slot, an arm disposed at one side of said guide slot and having at one end a connection with the front door and at the other end a slot connection with said pin, another arm disposed at the opposite side of said guide slot and having a connec-.

tion at one end with the rear door and a slot connection at the other end with said pin, the said arms, pin and slotswbeing so arranged as to permit an independent movement of the doors during the major portions of the cycles of movement thereof and a common movement during a minor portion of such cycles of movement, whereby the front door may, by the movement of the rear door, be moved from a closed but unlatched position into latching position.

4. vending machine embodying a food container, a front door suitably mounted at one side of said container, a rear door at the opposite side thereof, latching mechan1sm for said front door, releasing means for said latching mechanism and means actuated simultaneously with said releasing means for blocking the opening movement of the rear door.

5. vending machine embodying a food container, a front door suitably mounted at one side of said container, a rear door at the opposite side thereof, latching mechanism for said front door, means for normally forcingsaid latching mechanism into latchmg position, releasing means for said latchmg mechanism, means actuated simultaneously with said releasing means to block the opening movement of the reardoor, said means being movable by the operator to free the path of movement of the door and to reset said latching mechanism and releasing means.

6. vending machine embodying a food container, a front door suitably mounted at one side of said container, a rear door at the opposite side thereof, latching mechanism for said front door, means for normally forcing said latching mechanism into latching position, releasing means for said latching mechanism, means releasable by the operator and actuated simultaneously with said latch-releasing means for blocking the opening movement of the rear door, and means for yieldingly retaining said door-blocking means in blocking position and for simultaneously retaining said latching mechanism in unlatching position.

7. A vending machine embodying a food container, a front door suitably mounted at one side of said container, a rear door at the opposite side. thereof, latching mecha nism for said front door, means for normally forcing said latching mechanism into latching position, releasing means for said latching mechanism, means releasable by the In witness whereof, I have signed my operator and actuated simultaneously with name to the foregoing specification in the 1o said latch-releasing means for blocking the presence of two "subscribing Witnesses. movement of the rear door, and means actuated by the opening movement of the rear SOREN door for movmg the front door into latch- Witnesses: ing relationship with said latching mecha- STALLO VIN'roN,

msm. HELEN V. Honms. 

